Destined for Greatness

Joe was twenty-five years old when his Apache helicopter crashed during a routine training mission in Kuwait ten days after his deployment from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He accomplished much in his brief time on this earth. He graduated in 1997 from Reedley High School in Reedley, California. He went on to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he graduated in 2001 with degrees in aerospace engineering and military science, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Aviation Branch. Joe was a third-generation West Point alumnus following in the footsteps of his paternal grandfather and namesake, Joe Fenton Lusk, a 1946 graduate, and his uncle Patrick Lusk who graduated in 1976.

Joey's dream was to be a pilot! After graduating from the Aviation Officer Basic Course, he completed Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training and the Aircraft Qualification Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was then assigned to 1^st Battalion, 229^th Aviation Regiment during the spring of 2003 where he served as the Attack Platoon Leader for Alpha Company. He led his platoon in training for nine months at Fort Hood, Texas, and returned to Fort Bragg to continue training his platoon for combat operations.

One of Joe's most endearing qualities was his unique ability to go out of his way to make sure others around him were comfortable. A perfect example of this loyalty and concern for others comes from one of his classmates at West Point. He tells of an incident during Beast Barracks, the initial training during the summer before his plebe year; it seems this young man kept falling behind in his schoolwork, physical training and extra duties. He had been punished and placed on restriction several times, and if he had continued to be ridden by his company commanders, he surely would have dropped out of West Point. Joe purposely got himself in trouble to deflect attention off his friend and onto himself. It worked, allowing his friend to complete Beast Barracks and go on to graduate with his class. This is the type of person Joe was.

Erica Nishinaka, one of Joe's friends on the high school yearbook staff, wrote to Joe's mother not long after his death. In the letter she said, "With Joe there was never competition, hidden agendas, or jealousy. He wanted everyone to do well with their given talents, and he saw those talents even when hidden to the rest." She went on to share two special memories with Joe's mom.

"One memory is of the day we took Pirate Pillar photographs for the yearbook. Somehow we got permission to drive to Dinuba to take pictures in front of an old house that had grand pillars on the porch. After the photo shoot, the bunch of us went to Espie’s in Orosi (for lunch), no doubt Joe's idea. The Pirate Pillars were not all in the same social crowd, some were better friends than others, and some had never been to Espie's before, but Joe brought everyone into the conversation and really made a celebration of our accomplishments, commonalities, and differences."

"The second memory is of Super Bowl Sunday 1997. I’m sure he had parties to attend and guys to hang out with, but he missed what some would consider a day as holy as Christmas and Easter to work with you (his mom) and me on a yearbook deadline. We were the only staffers, and I vividly remember being puzzled about how he could miss the game. What impressed me the most was that he didn’t complain or make that day in yearbook feel second rate to something else. He took responsibility and made the best of it. And his comment in his yearbook message to me makes the memory all the more special knowing that he felt the same."

In a speech read at his memorial service in Kuwait, Joe's commanding officer said, "He was not only the consummate professional who lived by a distinct code of ethics but perhaps one of the nicest individuals one can ever expect to meet. Joe was without question one of the most energetic and talented officers in the Battalion." At the same service a fellow captain said, "I'm not sure where to start about Joe. He had so many great qualities about him. I think the one that sticks out in everyone's mind was his ability to brighten your day. He had an air about him that affected everyone around him. He led his soldiers with pride and dignity and wanted them prepared for any situation. He did this by leading from the front ... I believe that was all he knew ... to lead from the front. He continues to protect us as we continue the mission."

These stories, these outpourings of affection and honor, fill us with pride and help us to know Joe through the eyes of others he loved. We invite all of you who knew Joe to share with us your special memories of Joe. Please send them to kevin@joelusk.org so we may share them with others who were not able to experience the magic that was Joe. If you would like to know a bit more about Joe's life from our point of view, Joe's mom created her own story of Joe's life on DVD as part of the Stories of the Fallen project. Please contact us at kevin@joelusk.org if you are interested in receiving a copy.

Joe was hardworking, fun-loving, honest, loyal, and kind. He lived a life filled with purpose and dedication to family, friends, and career. When he worked, he worked and when he played, he played, and he did both with determination and a lightness of spirit. Joe was an equal opportunity kid! He treated everyone with the same magical charm. We believe Joe was destined for greatness. We would like to help him achieve that greatness through this foundation.